Whilst going in to repurchase my favourite liquid concealer by MUA, I was intrigued by their Velvet Lip Lacquers. They have a fantastic shade range and are from the MUA Luxe line so the packaging is much more sleek than the standard range. I decided to buy Dare, a berry purple shade, and Reckless, a classic dark red. I also loved Kooky, a grey toned purple colour, but unfortunately it was out of stock. These are quite easy to apply and very matte. However they feel quite drying on the lips in comparison to the Maybelline Velvet Lip Pencils which feel much more smooth and creamy but have a very matte finish. I would definitely recommend applying a thin layer of lip balm over the top of the MUA Lacquers for a smoother consistency. MUA is available in Superdrug and for £3 they make a brilliant stocking filler for Christmas!

I definitely do not need another red lipstick but if Christmas isn't the perfect time to wear one, then when is? When I saw a review of the Maybelline Colour Drama Velvet Lip Pencils over on Alix's blog (I Covet Thee), I decided that I needed to try one out.

Although my lipstick collection is not lacking in the red department I opted for a classic, dark, blue toned red in the shade Red Essential. What I love about this is the pencil applicator. It is so easy to line and fill in the lips meaning there is no need to use a separate lip pencil!

The consistency of this product is smooth and velvety as the name suggests. It is quite matte which means it has brilliant staying power but doesn't make your lips feel dry.

This shade is also similar to the Nars Velvet Lip Pencil in Cruella which I have been eyeing up for ages but cannot justify paying £18 for it! For only £4.99/€7.49, the Maybelline Colour Drama Velvet Lip Pencils are a bargain and definitely worth trying. I will be buying other shades from this range for sure.